By AWR Hawkins. July 25th, 2016

On July 20, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey (D) issued a directive expanding the state's "assault weapons" ban to cover sales of weapons that had previously been interpreted as outside the ban.

Now the ban on firearms with certain cosmetic features -- "flash suppressors and folding or telescoping stocks" -- also includes those that lack these. This means firearms that gun manufacturers reworked to achieve state compliance cannot be sold in Massachusetts any longer.

Commonwealth Firearms and Training Centers' Korey Freeborn reacted to the expansion by lamenting that it could cripple gun stores across the state. .....

Is an AG empowered to issue such directives, without state legislature's involvement? It is quite ridiculous, as has been observed elsewhere, that some features that have been banned are purely cosmetic and have no bearing on the rifle's actual function. Add to this the fact that "assault weapons" statistically have been responsible for a miniscule number of shootings - this is all anti Second Amendment infringement and paranoia.

(Following on from the above, it is interesting to note reactions from some MA lawmakers -- "58 Bipartisan Lawmakers Condemn Massachusetts 'Assault Weapons' Ban". One perhaps predictable criticism was the AG's unilateral action.)